Sena hid behind a building near the city wall. The white wings flapped against the wall, twitching.
What was more bothersome than the unnecessarily large wings was the fact that his lower body was bare.
‘Can I manage in this state?’
Blood had splattered, making it impossible to wear his armor. So, he was currently just wearing a slightly long T-shirt.
Anyway, the plan was simple.
They were currently here under Cruyff’s orders.
The justification was probably a divine prophecy.
Thus, it was logical that anything obstructing their mission could be eliminated.
But conversely, this meant that Sena was already recognized as the ‘Saint’ mentioned in the prophecy.
These wings, which had even made Lucia kneel, could be used to…
Take control away from Cruyff.
There was no higher position in the Church than the saint under the protection of God.
Sena took a deep breath and stuck his head out.
“Sylvia.”
There, Sylvia was seen blocking the gate alone, fighting fiercely.
Her skills were astonishing. To Sena’s eyes, it was as if Sylvia wasn’t even wielding her sword.
But—.
‘…The opponent is stronger.’
The enemy, a holy knight, was easily deflecting Sylvia’s invisible sword strikes.
At this rate, she wouldn’t last long.
‘Calm down.’
[11224]
Sylvia’s lifespan had not yet decreased.
‘If I go out now, everything will fall apart.’
There was no choice but to wait patiently.
A suitable time would surely come.
“Well done holding out, Dame Sylvia.”
When a minute felt like an hour.
A girl with an incongruous delicate voice and a heavy presence appeared.
With her sword loosely held, barefoot, and with an arrogant expression.
It was Astria.
Seeing her, Sena’s expression brightened.
“Your decision has changed much in this world.”
The weight of her presence was different.
Even though only a 160 cm tall girl had joined, the previously relaxed expression of the Holy Knight visibly hardened.
When she was on their side, there was no more reassuring presence.
With the Empress’s appearance, the situation would be reshuffled. Sylvia, noticing Astria’s arrival, shouted loudly.
“Why are you only arriving now!”
Astria blinked.
“And if you’ve come, why are you walking so leisurely? Hurry up and help!”
Clang!
With a sharp sound, Sylvia complained.
Astria’s eyebrows twitched.
“I was delayed because I needed to confirm something. And the way you speak to the Empress…”
“Please hurry and join the battle! I can’t hold out any longer!”
As Sylvia said, it was now at its limit.
The narrow terrain was a great advantage against many opponents, but it didn’t suit Sylvia’s swordsmanship style.
“Complaining about not being able to defeat a mere religious fanatic?”
Astria, seeming disdainful, lightly stamped the ground.
“Move aside. If you don’t want to die.”
Without a hint of hesitation, Sylvia stepped back, pushing away Greol’s sword.
At the same time, Astria charged directly with the shortest distance. Although Greol raised his sword to block Astria’s unhesitating swing, he was pushed back significantly by her strike.
‘What strength.’
He was knocked backward by a single blow from the girl, who was only half his size.
Greol frowned and looked at his hand. Red blood flowed along the sword. His gloved hand trembled slightly.
“So this is the power of the Empress, the one with the nickname ‘Whole Body’? Truly as remarkable as they say, or even more so.”
“Kill yourself now. I’ll only kill up to the 8th degree of kin.”
As Astria spoke mockingly, Greol’s expression turned sour.
“How dare you defy the will of God? You shall not die peacefully.”
‘The will of God?’
Sena struggled to find justification during their conversation.
“I’ll give you a chance. If you don’t want to face the judgment of the Goddess Justitia…”
Astria suddenly swung her sword during Greol’s words.
Her sword cut through the air, and at that moment, the sound of the air tearing was followed by a deadly blow.
Greol hurriedly raised his aura to block it, but other Holy Knights were different.
There was nothing above the necks of the several Holy Knights around.
“Have more to say?”
“…Receive the judgment of God!”
At Greol’s enraged voice, Astria sneered and replied.
“Send that message to the so-called Justitia.”
Astria leisurely stepped out beyond the city walls. As the massive city walls closed, she raised her sword high into the sky.
She had given up her geographical advantage.
“I’ll send even more now.”
Whoosh-!
Astria’s sword resonated ominously.
“All units, charge!”
Greol also raised his sword high and shouted. The Holy Knights pulled the reins and charged with terrifying momentum.
The tip of Greol’s sword aimed at Astria.
“Empress, what can you do now?”
The Holy Knights was charging from all directions.
However, Astria remained unfazed.
‘That fool!’
Sena hurriedly ran out. Sylvia, who had locked the gate, looked at Sena with wide eyes.
“No, Senior! What are you doing here!”
“This is not the time for that! Why did you close the gate?”
“Because I was told to. More importantly, get inside quickly. It’s dangerous here.”
Sena replied seriously.
“That’s not possible.”
“Senior.”
Sylvia’s eyes wavered.
“…You’re not wearing pants?”
“Is this really the time for jokes?”
Sena shouted with a bright red face.
“Anyway, take me up to the top of the wall quickly.”
“Are those wings just for show?”
It was only natural that Sena didn’t know how to use the newly grown wings. As his lips began to pout, Sylvia reluctantly wrapped her arms around Sena’s waist.
“I understand what you’re worried about, but it won’t make a difference.”
“Hurry up.”
“…Hold on tight.”
They climbed up the wall at an astonishing speed. Sena squirmed for a moment before getting down.
He had actually wanted to appear at a better time. But there was no time. If this dragged on any longer, Astria would…
Be in danger… Huh?
Sena was confused about whether the scene below the wall was reality or a dream.
“Monster, monster.”
“Ah, it’s a devil. It must be a devil.”
‘Huh…?’
Certainly, there were so many knights that you couldn’t see the end.
But the Holy Knights visible below the wall were only a small fraction.
In front of Astria, there was a gigantic crater in a fan shape.
People were sitting down, and there were Cruyff and a few Holy Knights around, including Greoi, the Holy Knight Commander who had fought Sylvia earlier.
This was all that remained.
The rest had ‘vanished’ without a trace of their bodies.
“I’ve heard stories, but I can’t believe it.”
“…What is this?”
“The commander used to say sometimes. That Her Majesty could win a war just with a single strike of her sword. I roughly guessed the magic power she had from the earlier display, but it’s astonishing.”
Suddenly, Sena recalled what Astria had said earlier.
– When this war ends, I’ll take you as a reward.
It had seemed like a mere expression of confidence. Just a firm resolve.
It wasn’t that. Astria hadn’t exaggerated or made hopeful assumptions even a bit.
She had only analyzed the reality coldly and stated the facts.
That’s right. From the beginning, she had no intention of losing.
Overwhelming victory.
It was a word that was too natural for her.
With such power, she must have never lost even once in her life.
“Sylvia.”
“Yes.”
“Let me down below the wall.”
Though they were enemies, Sena knew they had no free will.
He was purely saddened by the many lives that had vanished.
But their deaths must not be in vain.
The ideal situation Sena had hoped for and had to step into had arrived.
“Senior. Her Majesty you know is not the same as the current one.”
Sylvia spoke seriously, but Sena shook his head firmly.
“It has to be now. And Sylvia, you’re underestimating Cruyff.”
Astria had never hidden her abilities.
It might have been something Sena and Sylvia hadn’t known due to their young age, but it couldn’t be for Cruyff.
There was no way Cruyff, who knew the Empress’s abilities well, would have come to the front lines without any countermeasures. There must be something more, and he had to stop it.
“He wasn’t called the prospective Pope just by luck.”
“…Then promise me one thing.”
Sylvia hugged Sena like a princess.
“Don’t foolishly give up on everything. Never move according to the will of the Church.”
Sena smiled faintly.
“Alright.”
Sylvia jumped down the high wall with Sena.
As they carefully set down, Sena took a deep breath and looked at the battlefield with resolute eyes.
At a short distance, Cruyff was visible.
‘Did you think I would be pleased by this?’
Sena wanted to ask. Why did Cruyff do this?
Was his only wish to return home and close his eyes in peace that unpleasant to him?
He didn’t want anything else. There was no way his life could be happy if he lived while causing so many victims.
Sena gathered his resolve and moved forward. Then, he released the reins of his suppressed divine power.
